


Tension Relief

by Sermocinare



Category: Watchmen - All Media Types
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Massage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-03
Updated: 2011-05-03
Packaged: 2017-10-18 22:47:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/194136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sermocinare/pseuds/Sermocinare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adrian's had a shitty day at work, Eddie is determined to make him feel better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tension Relief

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Watchmen kinkmeme on LJ

When the apartment door opens, Eddie doesn't look up. He never does. After all, it's not as if he were waiting for Adrian.

Then, the door slams, and that does catch Eddie's attention. He looks up, only to catch a glimpse of Adrian's back, retreating to the bedroom, but that glimpse is all he needs. The set of Adrian's shoulders, the stiffness of his stride... something is off.

Eddie can hear Adrian muttering to himself, and that's another warning sign. Adrian Veidt may talk a lot, but usually not to himself. That is just not something normal, sane people do, and Adrian is the most normal and sane person on the planet. Or at least that's what he wants people to believe. Eddie knows better, of course. Adrian Veidt's picture can be found on the cover of Times, Forbes, Newsweek, and in the dictionary under "repressed".

Eddie gets up and goes over to the bedroom, stopping in the doorway to lean against the frame, watching Adrian get out of his jacket and tie, both of which are flung carelessly across the bed instead of being put away neatly. Adrian's movements are short, brusque, and his hands are shaking slightly. In fact, his whole body seems to be humming with tension, and Eddie is pretty damn sure you could break a board over those stiffly set shoulders.

"So the deal's off, then," Eddie says. It's not a question. He knows Adrian has been working on some major business deal for weeks. It's his job to know. Or rather, he considers it part of his job. Eddie also knows that the chances of Adrian actually making that deal were pretty much those of a snowball in hell, but he won't be mentioning that. For one, you don't go around poking wounded tigers with a stick, and then, Adrian had known that all along, too. He still tried to push it through, though, because that is what Adrian does.

"Go away." Even Adrian's voice is tense as he continues to unbutton his shirt. Eddie doesn't listen, stepping up behind Adrian instead. He rarely does what Adrian wants him to do, and he's not going to start now. The moment Eddie wraps his arms around Adrian's middle, he can feel Adrian's whole body go rigid. Everyone else would have gotten their nose smashed into their brains for this, but Eddie isn't everyone else.

"Shhhh," he murmurs against Adrian's back, as if soothing a hurt and cornered animal. For about half a minute Adrian doesn't move, doesn't even breathe, but then he relaxes by the tiniest increments. "So the deal's off. So what."

"Well, that's easy for you to say," Adrian growls, and Eddie can almost hear him grind his teeth, "after all, you aren't the one whose business plans for the next year hinged on this one deal."

Eddie presses a kiss to Adrian's nape, then lets go of him and sits down on the bed, looking calmly up at Adrian: "Bullshit."

He can see the red-hot anger flare up in Adrian's eyes, and that's good, because it means he's blasted through whatever defences Adrian was putting up. But before Adrian can launch into some pissed-off little speech, Eddie goes on: "You're the smartest guy on the planet, Ozy. So don't tell me you haven't got some kind of backup plan. And even if not," Eddie smiles, "I'm sure you won't need more than half a day to come up with one, babe."

Adrian huffs, and for a moment, it looks like he'll go into that speech anyway. But then, the corners of his mouth twitch up into a small smile, a fleeting little thing, like a tiny ray of sunshine breaking through the storm: "You're right, of course."

Eddie almost can't stop himself from rolling his eyes. Leave it to Adrian to be an arrogant bitch even while having a temper tantrum, or at least what goes for a temper tantrum in Adrian’s little corner of the world.

"Now, get out of that shirt and onto the bed," Eddie says, motioning behind him with his thumb.

Adrian raises his perfectly plucked blond eyebrows: "I'm really not in the mood for..."

"Oh for Chrissake, get your mind out of the gutter, will ya?" Now Eddie does roll his eyes, then shakes his head, grinning with fond amusement: "Sorry to disappoint, cupcake, but I was planning on getting some of that stiffnes out of you. And before you ask, yeah, I know what I'm doing, so shut up and lie down."

This gets a genuine smile out of Adrian, one that stays on for more than just a few seconds. "You're full of surprises, aren't you, Eddie," Adrian murmurs, then shrugs off his shirt and lies face-down on the bed.

"Yup. Man of mystery, that's me," Eddie chuckles, straddling Adrian's hips and making himself comfortable before poking at the spot where Adrian's neck joins his shoulder: "Well, fuck me. If I put a nail in this, I could hang a picture on it."

Adrian laughs softly, then closes his eyes. Soon, he has gone from coiled as a spring to so relaxed, he's almost purring underneath Eddie.

Finally, Eddie claps his hands together and then runs one of them through Adrian's hair: "Done. Now, you stay where you are until I'm back. I've got to get some stuff."

Adrian opens one eye and looks up at him questioningly: "Stuff?"

"Ice cream and booze," Eddie answers with a bright grin.

Adrian frowns slightly: "But I have ice cream in the freezer, and there is some..."

Once again, Eddie cuts him off: "Yeah, probably fat-free or that fancy sorbet shit. And no offense, babe, but your booze is only strong enough for old ladies. I mean proper booze and ice cream. Because you need it."

"If you say so," Adrian says, his eyes glittering with warmth, and Eddie can't help himself, he just has to bend down and kiss Adrian, nipping at those warm, soft lips of his. When they break apart, Adrian grins, and rolls over onto his back, stretching languidly: "Don't be too long, or I might fall asleep."

Eddie grins, rubbing Adrian's belly with one hand: "Oh, don't you worry about that, dear. You won't even notice that I'm gone."

"Oh," Adrian sighs, regarding Eddie from beneath half-lowered lashes, his smile titillating, "believe me, I will."


End file.
